.4 
1833 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 108 732 



OLDEN TIME 



JfEW-YORK 



THOSE WHO KNEW. 



NEW YORK : 

PUBLISHED RY ANDERSON AND SMITH, 
17 ANN STREET. 



1833. 



fMO-e 






TO THE READER. 



In gathering materials for my forth-coming chart, on " The 
History of the Reformed Dutch Church and its Ministers." I 
met with many incidental anecdotes, which although foreign 
to the purposes of the chart may amuse some and instruct 
others; and if this little pamphlet may serve to throw light on 
some obscure subject, or may turn the attention of its readers 
to the by-gone days of our good old Dutch ancestry, the trouble 
it has cost the compiler will be richly repaid; and cannot pass 
by the present opportunity to return my sincere thanks to such 
of my friends as have aided me in my labours, and in a parti- 
cular manner to the gentleman who kindly loaned to me the 
valuable old manuscript, from which most of the matter in the 
following pages was gleaned. Thi~ book was formerly the 
property of Dominc Selyns, and bears the date of 168G. The 
first part contains a memoranda of church members at that 
time, with their residences carefully noted down in the Dutch 
language and character ; the latter part of the volume from 
which the extracts have been made is in the English lanuuage, 
and appears to have been a memoranda of thepaat and ]> 
The whole is highly interesting and bears evidence of strict 
veracity, and a6 the language of the author has n et with hut 
few and slight alterations the reader to understand it fully, must 
carry himself back in his imagination to about the commei ce- 
ment of the present century. With these remarks the com- 
piler sends forth his little hook, and if its pages shall he found 
to contain aught that is contrary to the truth, the readef it is 
hoped need not be reminded that he has obtained the informa- 
tion it contains with less exertion than 

His humble servant. 
T. R. Dfi Fokkst. 

*ev York, July, 1833. 



OLDEN TIME 

IN 

N E W-Y O R K. 



CHAPTER I. 

DISCOVERY AND EARLY SETTLEMENT. 

Curious is the account given of this country by 
Hudson, in 1609, when he discovered the same. I 
have only extracts from it as published by Hartges, 
in 1642 in Dutch. 

" In the year 1609, April 6, O. S. Captain 
Henry Hudson an experienced English Pilot, but 
then in the seivice of the East India Company of 
the United States of Holland, left the Texelina Ves- 
sel called the Halfmoon, navigated by twenty men, 
Dutch and English. He doubled the coast of Nor- 
way and made towards Nova Zembla, but being 
impeded by the great cold and the ice, he formed 
a resolution of visiting the coast of America. 

July 8th. They arrived on the Coast in latitude 
44°, and were obliged to make a harbour in order 
to get a new foremast having lost their old ; they 
found the Natives kind and willing to trade with 
them for different kinds of furs upon the most pro- 
fitable terms ; they found here also the greatest 
quantity of Codfish. Hudson's men not using the 
natives well, but taking their effects from them 



4 DISCOVERY AND 

without paying for them, a quarrel ensued and 
Hudson was obliged to put to sea again. He after- 
wards made land August 3, latitude 42°,and coast- 
ing from Cape Cod westward they arrived at Sandy 
Hook, latitude 40° 30'. September 12, 1609. 
Finding a good entrance and harbour they came 
to anchor behind the Hook, and sent their boat to 
what is called Coney Island. This island they found 
to be chiefly a soil of white sand such as was un- 
common to them ; they also found here a vast 
number of plum-trees loaded with fruit, and many 
of them surrounded and covered with grape ^ 
of different kinds ; there was also the greatest 
plenty of snipes and other birds along the shores 
and in the trees. 

"While the ship lay at anchor, the natives name 
on board from the Jersey shore and traded very 
fair, giving in exchange for trifles furs and skins 
of foxes, martins, &c. They brought also birds, 
fruit, white and blue grapes, and what was remark- 
able, they had on their wrists and feet copper rings. 

" Upon my going on shore, says Hudson, after 
coming to anchor in the bay within the hook, I 
found the natives standing along the shore and 
singing according to their manner ; clothed in the 
skins of elks, foxes, and other animals dressed by 
them. Their food I found to be Turkey corn, 
(Indian corn maize) which is well tasted and good 
to eat; they came often on board the vessel aft' i 
this in their canoes made of a yellow wood ; then 
arms, I find to be bows and arrows, with sharp 



EARLY SETTLEMENT. O 

stones at the end fastened with pitch. Those I 
saw on shore had no houses, but slept in the open 
air, some on mats of straw sewed together, some 
on the leaves of the trees. They brought all their 
goods with them especially food, and wild tobacco, 
which is strong in taste and good to chew ; they 
appeared to be a friendly people but are much in- 
clined to steal, and very cunning in carrying away 
any thing they take a liking to." It is very re- 
markable that where ever mankind have been dis- 
covered in a state of nature, this evil disposition of 
stealing from strangers has always been found 
natural to them. 

Hudson discovering that the Bay was the mouth 
of an extensive river, and taking his course north- 
east with his boat ahead to make the soundings, 
proceeded up and- on turning the point of the nar- 
rows the boat unexpectedly met with seven canoes 
of indians, who being surprised and frightened shot 
at the people in the boat and killed one of them 
named John Coleman, and then made off as fast 
as they could, whence it was expected that this 
first instance of hostility would have broke off all 
intercourse with the natives, but the next day they 
came on board and traded as freely as if nothing 
had happened. 

After the vessel had passed the narrows they 
found a very fine bay, and in this lay at that time 
five islands, the one called Nutten island on account 
of the great quantity of nut-trees, growing on the 
same. The other four islands lay near the west 



6 DISCOVERY AND 

shore and were not so large. (N. B. Only two oC 
these islands are now remaining, but the rocks 
where the others lay are to be seen at low water.) 
On the point of land where New York is built, 
they found living a very hostile people who would 
not deal or traffic with them ; but those who lived 
on the western shore from the Kills upward, came 
on board the vessel while it laid at anchor in the 
river, bringing with them to barter furs and skins 
of different kinds, and the largest and finest oysters 
they ever beheld, also indiancorn, beans, pompkins, 
squashes, grapes and some apples, all of whieh they 
exchanged for trifles. 

Hudson proceeded with his boat up the North 
River, by him called the Great river and since 
known by the name of Hudson river ; and as 
he went up, he all the way found the natives on the 
west shore more affable and friendly than those on 
the eastern shore, and he also ascertained that on 
one side of the river the natives were at war with 
those of the other side. He went up without mo- 
lestation (as far as he judged that he could go with 
the ship, and then took to his boat to explore the 
river higher up.) In his journal he gives the fol- 
lowing account of his reception at landing in lati- 
tude 42° 15'. 

11 I went on shore (he says,) in one of their 
canoes with an old man who was chief of forty men 
and women, whom I found in a house made of the 
bark of trees, and was exceeding smooth and well 
finished within all round about. I found there a 



EARLY SETTLEMENT. 7 

great quantity of Indian corn and beans, and indeed 
there lay to dry near the house of those articles as 
much as would load three ships, beside what was 
still growing on the field. When we went to the 
house two mats were spread to sit on, and imme- 
diately eatables were brought to us in wooden 
bowls well made, and two men were sent off with 
their bows and arrows to kill wild fowl, who soon 
returned with two pigeons. They also killed im- 
mediately a fat dog and in a little time skinned it 
with shells they got out of the water. They expected 
I would have remained with them through the 
night, but this I did not care to do, and therefore 
went on board the ship again. 

It is the finest land for tilling my feet ever trod on 
and also of all sorts of trees fit for building vessels, 
&c The natives were exceeding kind and good 
tempered, for when they saw that I was making 
ready to return to the ship and would not stay 
with them, judging that it proceeded out of fear for 
their bows and arrows, they took them and broke 
them into pieces and threw them into the fire." He 
found growing here also grapes, plums, pompkins 
and other fruit. 

Hudson while on shore with the indians where 
Albany is now built, was very kindly treated by 
them and got in exchange from them very valuable 
furs for trifles. He was invited by signs to come 
and settle in the country which they shewed was at 
their service. In turning down the river, when 
they had got in or through the highlands, the 



8 DISCOVERY AND 

Indians in their canoes being around the ship, one 
of them climbed up by the stern ladder to the win- 
dow and took from thence several articles, but being 
seen by the mate who shot at and killed him all 
the Indians hastened to the shores, nor could any of 
them be prevailed upon to come on board again ; 
the alarm had extended quite down the Jersey shore 
and put an end to their former friendly intercourse, 
and obliged Hudson to put to sea, October 4th, 
1609. He arrived at Dartmouth, England Nov. 
4, 1609, and from there he wrote to the Dutch East 
India Company who had employed him, and trans- 
mitted his journals, and the account of his disco- 
veries to them, and in consequence of these accounts 
the Company sent another ship to Hudson river to 
trad =3 in 1610. The company no doubt from the 
account given by Hudson, of the hostile disposition 
of the natives residing along the lower part of the 
river, and the friendly disposition of those residing 
near where Albany is built, and also an account, 
of the greater quantity of furs to be obtained 
were induced to fix their first trading place there, 
and in 1614 the) r obtained permission of the natives 
to built a small fort on an island lying a little below 
Albany on the west side. It was a redoubt with 
a ditch around it 18 feet wide, it had two brass 
guns and eleven iron ones mounted, and was de- 
fended by twelve soldiers, the commandants name 
was Hendrick Christianes, and the lieutenant 
Jaques Elikins. The nation of Indians who re- 
sided near here were called Mohocks, and those on 



EARLY SETTLEMENT. 9 

the east side of the river Mohicanders. The ad- 
vantages derived^ to the Mohocks by their trade 
with the Dutch, induced all the other nations to al- 
low them a free trade and intercourse which was 
advantageous and encouraging to the company, 
by extending their possessions and trade, and being 
desirous' to secure them to themselves, they sent 
orders in 1623 to build forts near the limits of 
their possessions. They accordingly built Fort 
Goodhope on Connecticut river, 35 miles from its 
mouth near where New Haven now stands. Fort 
Nassau on the eastside side of Delaware bay. Fort 
New Amsterdam on the island Manhattan now 
New York, and Fort Orange at Albany. 

This state when under the jurisdiction of the 
Dutch West India Company did not prosper as fast 
as the goodness of the soil, and the advantages of 
trade would lead us to expect, few emigrants leav- 
ing Holland for these parts except those who came 
in a military capacity, or as merchants or factors 
under the company or civil officers of goverment, 
It was customary with the company to let out or 
grant lands to such as had served out the time con- 
tracted for. Bergen and several other places 
were settled by disbanded soldiers. In 1660 the 
town of Bush wick on Long Island was begun, and 
in 1662 it contained 25 houses. 

At this time the small towns in the state were sur- 
rounded by pallisades to prevent surprize from the 
Indians, and few farmers were settled at any dis- 
tance from the towns or fortifications ; and hence 



10 DISCOVERY AND 

the people of Connecticut were emboldened to set- 
tle in the neighbourhood of Fort Goodhope near 
Hartford, and at length grew so numerous and in- 
solent as to quarrel with and dispossess several of 
the Dutch farmers. 



CHAPTER II. 

EARLY CITY SETTLEMENT. 

After the Dutch had got permission of the na- 
tives to build a fort on the Island of New York, in the 
year 1623, they made it in form of a regular square, 
with four bastions, on a point of land at the entrance 
of the North and East Rivers, where now the Go- 
vernment House is built. At different periods this 
fort has bee n strengthened by making the wall of 
stone thicker, with first one, and then another wall, 
outside of the first wall. The Dutch Director Ge- 
neral and the Commandant, besides the other offi- 
cers, had houses within the fort ; and in 1642 a 
church was built in the south-east corner. This 
church and houses were burnt down in 1741. It 
had the Secretary's office over the gate. The 
church was not rebuilt, but the houses and barracks 
was, and the Governor's house was burnt down 
again in 17 — , rebuilt in 17 — , and again burnt 
down in 17 — ; after which, it was not rebuilt. 

In 1765, Governor Colden, who resided in the 
Fort, intending to receive into the same, and pro- 
tect the stamp papers, expected hourly from Eng* 



EAKLY SETTLEMENT. 11 

land, took into the fort Major James, and by his 
directions had the rampart of the fort prepared for 
defence or offence against the inhabitants, by form- 
ing embrasures of cord-wood and dirt, and placing 
cannon in the same. 

When the house in the fort was burnt down, and 
the troops were removed out of the same, the in- 
habitants dismantled the fort, and pulled down to 
the ground the north curtain, which faced the 
Broadway ; and in 1790-91, the fort was entirely 
demolished, and the stones sold, or made use of to 
build the Government House. The ground was all 
levelled, so that no trace remains of the old fort, or 
where it stood. When they were removing the 
ruins of the old church or chapel, several vaults 
were discovered. In one of them was found the 
remains of the body of the Lady of Lord Bellamont, 
in a leaden coffin. 

The first fort was built back of the old Lutheran 
Church, or rather a little lower down. As the 
ground round about the fort was improved as a 
garden belonging to the States General, the second 
was built at the point of land. 

After this fort was first built by the Dutch, and 
the persons who came over from Holland to settle 
in America, for the purpose of trading with the na- 
tives for furs, &c. and who could not reside in the 
fort, built houses under the walls of the fort, and 
formed the first street, which they called Pearl 
street. From time to time, as they grew in num- 
bers, and formed friendly intercourse with the na- 



12 EARLY CITY 

tives, they increased the extent of the city, which 
must have contained a number of houses and streets 
in 1686. 

The Dutch, in imitation of what was done in 
Holland, built dykes in Broad street, as far up as the 
City Hall, as posts were found standing about ten or 
twelve feet from the houses on each side of the way, 
not long ago, when the street was new paved. 

The city was enclosed with a wall or pallisades, 
about the year 16 — , from the Trinity Church, 
across along Wall street to the East River. 

In 1744, it had palisdoes, with block houses, 
surrounding it from river to river, from near the air 
furnace, to the ship yard, at the edge of what was 
called the meadows, on the west side. 

Not long before this, the water out of the Fresh 
Water or Kollock, ran down to both rivers ; to the 
North by a ditch, and to the East by small rivulet, 
which increased so wide as to require a log to be laid 
across, to walk on. On the hill, near the river, was 
a wind.mill. Some years before this, there was a 
wind-mill between what is called Crown street, and 
Cortland street. 

Here it was, that, not 40 years ago, the Indians 
still residing in the lower part of this state, at partic- 
ular seasons of the year came to the city, and took 
up their residence near them, until they had disposed 
of their poultry, brooms, shovels, trays, and baskets. 
I have seen in 1746, wheat growing where now St. 
Paul's Church is built, and then there was not twenty 
houses from Division street to Fresh Water. 



SETTLEMENT. 13 

I have seen in 1744 and after, several Indian 
canoes after one another come down the East and 
North Rivers, and land their cargoes in the basons 
near the long bridge, and take up their residence 
in the yard and storehouse of Adolpus Phillips, 
where they generally made up their baskets and 
brooms, as they could better bring the rough ma- 
terials with them than ready made baskets and 
brooms. They brought with them, if they came 
from Long Island, a quantity of dried clams, 
strung on sea-grass or straw, which they sold or 
kept for their own provisions, besides the flesh of 
the animals they killed. 

Clams, Oysters, and fishmeat, have formed the 
principle food, together with squashes and pump, 
kins, of the natives of the lower part of the State. 
Those who resided in the upper part, besides the 
fish of the rivers, wild water-fowl, and animals of 
different kinds, Indian corn, squashes, and pump- 
kins, at particular times in the Spring were visited 
with such amazing flights of wild pigeons, that the 
sun was hid by their flocks from shining on the 
earth for a considerable time ; then it was that the 
natives laid in great store of them against a day of 
need, by killing and drying them in the sun or 
smoking them over a fire, and afterwards packing 
them up in casks made of old hollow trees. The 
method they took to kill them was only to go 
among the trees where they roosted at night and 
beat them down with poles. 
3 



14 EARLY CITY 

In 1610, The Director General, William Kieft, 
having command, there came to him a Scotchman, 
with an English commission, and laid a claim to 
Long Island, which was rejected, and he went off 
again without doing any thing except setting up 
the common people against the Dutch government. 
A meeting on tlie subject was held by the English 
residents at Oyster Bay, but they were soon quelled 
by Kieft. 

In 1647, there came over a Scotchman, called 
Captain Forrester, who laid claim to Long Island 
for the Dutchess Dowager Sterling, pretending to 
be her governor. He had a commission dated in 
the 18th year of the reign of King James, which 
was not signed by the King or any one else. This 
man was very proud and haughty, and demanded a 
sight of Gov. Stuyvcsant's commission, saying that 
if the governor's commission was better than his, 
he would go off, or else Stuyvesant should, but the 
governor after taking a copy of his patent sent 
him with the ships bound to Holland, but they were 
obliged to land him in England. 



CHAPTER III. 

PUBLIC BUILDINGS, CIIURCIIES, &C. 

Fort Amsterdam being built in 1623, the Chapel 
in the fort was built in 1642. This having been 
destroyed by fire in 1741, the Dutch Congregation 
built what was called the Old Churchy in Garden- 



SETTLEMENT. 15 

street, in 1693. This was a long square, with 
three sides of an octagon at one end ; in front it 
had a brick steeple so large square as to admit of 
a room above the entry for a consistory room. 
The roof was as all old Dutch buildings are, a pitch 
roof shingled. The windows of the Church were 
small panes of glass set in lead — most of them 
having coats of arms of those who had been Elders 
and Magistrates, curiously burnt on glass by Ge- 
rardus Duyking. Some painted arms were also, 
and are still hanging against the wall. It was first 
customary in this church, or the one in the fort, to 
have two boxes strongly bound with iron, with a 
small hole in the lid which was secured with a 
padlock, hanging near the door to receive the 
alms as people went out of church. In front of the 
box was painted a beggar leaning on a staff. I 
found, says the narrator, these boxes in the garret 
when the church was repaired in 1760. 

There was another custom in this church, intro- 
duced for collecting alms instead of the above 
afterwards ; this was to go about the church when 
the service was half over with two black bags 
fastened to a pole, with bells at the bottom ringing 
while the collection for the poor was made. The 
bags and sticks are still retained, but the bells 
are taken off. Governor Montgomery made this 
church a present of a very excellent small organ, 
which was carried off by the British in 1776 or 77. 

The Dutch congregation increasing, they built 
what is called the Middle or New Church, in 1729, 



16 

in Nassau street. This church is 100 feet long 
and 70 wide, with a good steeple ; when built it 
had no gallery, the ceiling was an entire arch 
without pillars until the year 1764, when English 
service being introduced, a gallery was made on 
the east, west, and south sides of the church, with 
pilfars from the gallery to the ceiling so as to sup- 
port the roof. The pulpit which stood in the mid- 
dle of the east side was removed to the north end 
in 1764. It was entirely quitted during the war 
1776, and was applied to the purposes of confine- 
ment, and afterwards used as a riding school. It 
was repaired again 1789-90, and put in much the 
same order as it stood previous to its desecration. 
In 1807 a large Organ made in this country by 
Mr. Geib, was placed in the south gallery. 

The Dutch congregations finding their churches 
too small in 1769, built the North Church in Wil- 
liam-street, 100 feet long 68 wide, a nice building 
with a tile root (for which shingles are now substi- 
tuted) supported by large pillars. I was, says the 
narrator, one of the commissioners fur building this 
church, and before the most northerly pillar was 
erected, I put under the same a pewter plate, well 
secured against moisture, with the following inscrip- 
tion on the same. 

Mr. Laidlie called in 1763. Preached the first 
English Sermon in the Middle Church, 1764. 

1st Stone laid of this Church, July 2, 1767, by 
J. Roosevelt. 

1st Sermon, May 25, 1769» 



CHTJRCHES &C 17 

Cost of Building, £11,948 9.5. 4<Z. 

Subscription, £3,839 Is. Od. 

This church was also applied as a Provost or 
Jail during the war by the British and very much 
damaged, but repaired in 1784. 

Of Dr. Laidlie's first sermon, a correspondent 
of the Reformed Dutch Church Magazine gives the 
following accout : 

When the writer first became acquainted in 
New York, which was near the close of the year 
1758, the only two Dutch Churches in that city 
were known by the names of the Old Dutch Church, 
situated in Garden-street, and the New Dutch 
Church situated in Nassau-street, and were under 
the pastoral care of Domine Joannes Ritzema and 
Domine Lambertus De Ronde, the first of whom 
was said to be a man of the most learning, but the 
latter was esteemed to be the most eloquent and 
popular preacher. Shortly after that period it 
became apparent that, in consequence of the de- 
cline of the Dutch, and the increase of the English 
language, many of the young and rising genera- 
tion were but imperfectly, if at all, acquainted 
with their mother tongue; and it became more and 
more evident to reflecting minds, that unless the 
English language was introduced, they would 
attach themselves to Churches where that lan- 
guage was spoken. The writer being at that time 
quite a young man, is not acquainted with the offi- 
cial proceedings of the Kekkenraed, or as we call 
it in English, the Consistory, relative to calling a 
2b 



18 PUBLIC BUILDOG8, 

minister to officiate in the English language ; but 
he well recollects the excitement occasioned by the 
measure, and the opposition made to it by a consi- 
derable number of the congregation, who were 
warmly attached to the language of their Ances- 
tors, and among whom there were some who as- 
serted that it would be an infringement of the 
Charter by which the Church held her privileges. 

Dr. Laidlie arrived in New York the 29th day 
of March, 1764, and the Sunday following he ap- 
peared in the Old Dutch Church, dressed in the 
same costume with the other Domines, and he, 
together with Domine Ritzema, took his seat in the 
Elders' pew, while Domine De Ronde ascended 
the pulpit. He selected, for the foundation of his 
discourse, the appropriate words recorded in Isaiah, 
xxx. vs. 20. (" Uwe oogen sullen uwe Leeraers 
sien.") " Thine eyes shall see thy teachers." It 
being generally known that Dr. Laidlie would 
appear, the Church was filled to overflowing, and 
the congregation was gratified as well with hearing 
the eloquent address of Domine De Ronde, as of 
beholding their teacher who was to preach to them 
in the English language. 

When Dr. Laidlie arrived, there were no galle- 
ries in the New Dutch or Middle Church, and the 
pulpit, covered with an enormous canopy, or sound- 
ing board, eight or ten feet diameter, stood against 
the wall on the east side of the Church. And it 
was determined that, before he preached, the pulpit 
6hould be placed in the north end of the Church, 



CHURCHES, &C. 19 

and the pews so arranged, as to suit the removal. 
This necessarily occupied some time, and it was 
more than two weeks before he preached his first 
sermon. 

In the forenoon of the day, when Dr. Laidlie 
was first to preach in the city, the New Church 
was well filled, and he, and Domine De Ronde took 
their seats in the Elders' pew, and Domine Ritzema 
ascended the pulpit, and preached from the 21st. 
verse of the Prophet Obadiah (" Ende daer sullen 
Heylanden op den berg Zions opkomen, om Esaus 
geberghte te richten, ende het Koningrijcke sal des 
Heeren zijn.") " And saviours shall come up on 
mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau, and the 
kingdom shall be the Lord's." The writer only 
remembers the text, and that at the close of the 
sermon Domine Ritzema made a particular address 
to Dr. Laidlie. In the afternoon the church was 
exceedingly crouded, the aisles were filled with 
those who could not obtain seats, many climbed up 
into the windows, and some of the most respectable 
characters stood during the whole service. The 
exercises were commenced in the usual manner by 
the "fore singer,'" the much respected Jacobus 
Van Antwerp, who, opening an English Bible, 
said, " Hear with reverence the word of the Lord," 
and then read a chapter, after which he gave out a 
Psalm to be sung. As the Church had not adopted 
any English version of the Psalms, and most of the 
congregation were unacquainted with English Psal- 
mody, this part of the service was performed in 



20 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

Dutch. When the Domines entered the church, 
Domine Ritzema and De Ronde took their seats 
with the Elders, and Dr. Laidlie ascended the 
pulpit. His feelings appeared to be much excited, 
he sat down, when the singing was ended he arose, 
and after he commenced speaking, his embarrass- 
ment soon subsided. The text selected (as is stated 
in the Dutch Magazine) was 2 Cor. c. v. verse 11. 
" We therefore knowing the terrors of the Lord 
persuade men." (" Wy dan wetende de schrick des 
Heeren, bewegen de menschen tot hot geloove.") 

The writer has nothing to add on Dr. Laidlie's 
performances ; an analysis of, and copious extracts 
from the sermon having been given in the Dutch 
Magazine, from the notes in the Dr's. own hand 
writing, — but he will just mention, that, as most of 
the audience were furnished with the Dutch New 
Testament, and the Psalms set to music accom- 
panying them, the difference of the rendering of 
the text in the Dutch and English translations was 
observed by many, who, with the writer, enter- 
taining a becoming partiality for, and attachment 
to the language of their Ancestors, and their trans- 
lation of the Bible, felt pleased and gratified by 
the defence of that translation, by the preacher. 

The singing at the conclusion, as well as the 
commencement, was in the Dutch language, and 
from the second Psalm, the last two verses, the 
first line of which Dr. Laidlie read : " Dient Godt 
met kinderlycke vreese goedt." 

The writer concludes with observing, that shortly 



CHURCHES, &C. 21 

after this, galleries were erected in the church, 
several persons contributed liberally to supply it 
with things useful, and ornamental, and among 
these donors he recollects two particular gentlemen, 
Simon Johnson, Esq., Recorder, and Gerardus 
Duyckinck, merchant. The first presented a large 
chandelier, and the second painted and presented 
two large and elegant pictures — the King's arms, 
and the city arms ; which were placed in two 
large square pews, opposite to each other,— that on 
the east side, in the place where the pulpit had 
stood ; and that on the west side, between the two 
doors which are now both shut up. 

The following respecting the old churches is ex- 
tracted from Watson's Olden Time. 

" The Dutch Reformed Church — ' the Geerefor- 
meede Kerch,' was erected within the fort by Gov. 
Keift in 1642, being a stone structure, with split 
oaken shingles then called "wooden slate." The 
cause and manner of its establishment has been 
curiously related by De Vries, saying, " as I was 
every day with Comdr. Keift, I told him, that as he 
had now made a fine tavern— the Stadt-herberg, at 
Coentics slip — that we also wanted very badly a 
church ; for until then we had nothing but a mean 
barn (in appearance) for our worship ; whereas in 
New England, their first concern was a fine church, 
and we ought to do the same. Wherefore, I told 
him I would contribute a hundred guilders, and he, 
as governor, should precede me. Whereupon we 
agreed, and chose J. P. Kuyter and I. C. Damen, 



92 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

with ourselves, as four Kerch Meesters to superin- 
tend the building. John and Richard Ogdcn con- 
tracted to build the same of stone for 2500 guilders, 
say JC416. It was to be 72 feet by 52 feet, and 
16 feet high. After its construction, the town bell 
was removed to it. There it was a kind of fac 
lotum, and may possibly account for the present 
partiality for campandlary music still so fostered 
and prevalent in New York. All mechanics and 
labi irers began and ended work at the ringing ; all 
tavern -keepers shut house after the ringing ; courts 
and suitors assembled at the ringing : and deaths 
and funerals were announced by the toll." 

" The Jir st minister ever appointed to the Dutch 
Church in New Amsterdam, was the Rev. Everar- 
dus Bogardus ; he officiated in the church erected 
in 1642 within the fort. Thus making it, as it 
probably was, in the governmental rulers in the 
Netherlands, an affair of military conformity, not 
unlike the chaplain concerns of modern warfare. 
At all events, we soon hear of the people taking 
it into their minds to have another church, to wit : 
the old " South Dutch Church," founded in 1043 
in Garden-alley, and then objected to as being 
" too far out of town." A rare demur in our mo- 
dern views of distance. 

Besides the church so granted without the fort, 
they had also conferred " a place for a parsonage 
and garden." On the latter being improved in all 
the formal stiffness of cut box and trimmed cedar, 
presenting tops nodding to tops, and each alley like 



CHURCHES, &C. 23 

its brother, the whole so like Holland itself, it 
became attractive to the public gaze, and so gave 
popular acceptance to the name of 'Garden Alley.'" 
This latter church was of an octagonal form, and 
having no tower ; the steeple (if it might be called 
one) was placed over the centre of the roof. Its 
windows were remarkable for their size, and the 
leaden sashes for the smallness of their panes. This 
edifice was enlarged and repaired in 1766. The 
last sermon ever preached in this church was de- 
livered by Dr. Linn to 14 -hearers, it being consi- 
dered unfashionable to worship God in that antique 
house, which had been the most fashionable in the 
city. After that time it was closed until it was 
removed to make way for the present South Church, 
which was consecrated in 1807 by Dr. Livingston. 
The inner rear wall of the old church was decora- 
ted with several escutcheons ; one of which was the 
original of the one now suspended over the North 
Church pulpit. They may be seen at present in 
the belfry of the South Church. 

The Middle Church was originally without gal- 
leries, two doors opening on Nassau-street, with the 
pulpit attached to the east side wall; some evidence 
of which may yet be seen. This, as well as the 
other churches, had pews appropriated to the use of 
the Governor, Mayor, &c. ; and the City and State 
arms formerly embellished its walls. " During 
the possession of the city by the British, it was used 
to imprison 3000 Americans. The pews were all 
gutted and used for fuel. Afterwards they used it 



24 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

for the British Cavalry, wherein they exercised their 
men as a riding school ; making them leap over 
raised windlasses. At the same place they often 
picketed their men, as a punishment. A gentleman, 
now advanced in years, who was imprisoned in this 
Church, informs me that the Dead Cart came every 
morning to carry off from twenty to thirty of the 
dead. 

The North Church was also gutted of its pews 
and made to hold 2000 Prisoners. 

Before leaving the subject of the Dutch Churches 
in the city, we will annex a few of the ancfent cus- 
toms or practices which are now entirely or almost 
wholly laid aside. 

It was formerly the duty of the Clerk to have an 
hour-glass standing near, which was properly 
placed at the commencement of the sermon, and at 
the moment when the last grains of sand had left 
the upper for the lower cavity, he gave three raps 
with his cane to remind the Domine that his time 
had elapsed. One of the country domines, however, 
quietly let two glasses run through, and then in- 
formed his auditors, that, inasmuch they had been 
patient in sitting through two glasses, he would 
proceed with the third. 

When notices were requested to be published 
from the pulpit, they were handed to the officiating 
domine by the clerk, through the medium of a long 
pole slit at one end, into which the note was 
inserted. 

After uttering the concluding word of his text, 



CHURCHES, &C. 25 

the domine would invariably exclaim, Thus far ! 
and before entering the pulpit he would solemnly 
raise his hat before his face and silently utter a 
short ejaculatory prayer for a blessing on his la- 
bors. This ceremony, which was universal until 
after the death of Dr. Abeel, was continued by the 
late Dr. Kuypers until his demise. 

The domines in former days adhered very closely 
to the use of the gown or robes, seldom appearing 
in public without them ; and deeming it a high 
breach of order to administer the communion with- 
out them. The installation of the late senior 
pastor had well nigh been put off for the space of a 
week, as he came unprepared with a gown for the 
occasion. — Dr. Livingston refusing to officiate until 
luckily a robe was borrowed for the occasion. 

The Lord's Supper was formerly administered 
to the communicants standing in the " Doop Huys," 
the pastor addressing each member as he handed 
the emblems. 

The Clerk's place was in one end of the dea- 
cons' pew, and he always prefaced the afternoon 
service by reading the Apostolic or Nicene Creed. 

The collections after service were taken up in 
black velvet bags attached to the end of long 
poles, instead of plates, as is the present custom. 
The bags were in some churches furnished with a 
small bell fixed to the pendant end. This custom 
is still used in some country churches. One of the 
bags used in the Old or South Church is deposited 
3 



26 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

in the office of the Christian Intelligencer, New 
York. 

Christmas, Easter, and Whitsunday, were al- 
ways strictly observed, together with the day suc- 
ceeding each, by having the churches opened for 
worship. 

Previous to 1802 there were no stoves in the 
churches, and the doors were left wide open during 
service, the snow in winter drifting up the aisles. 

We shall also in this place give an account by 
Jeremiah Johnson, Esq. of the Dutch Churches 
on Long Island, as found in the Magazine of the 
Reformed Dutch Church. 

From the enclosed extracts from our State 
Records, and from the Records of the church of 
Brooklyn, it will be seen that there certainly was 
a church in Brooklyn in the year 1660. — From 
the Records of the church of Brooklyn it appears 
that the Citizens of New Utrecht, and Bushwick 
communed with their brethren at Brooklyn. 

It is not probable that a church was formed at 
New Utrecht before the year 1680. The church 
of Bushwick was built about the year 1720. The 
first Settlement in Brooklyn was made in 1625, 
and it is said that Sarah the Daughter of George 
Jansen D. Rappelje was the first white child born 
in the colony — she was born in June, 1625. 

Extracts from the Minutes of the Reformed 
Dutch Church of the Town of Brooklyn. 

A call from the Church was accepted by the 
Rev. Henricus Solyns, and approved by the clas- 



CHURCHES, &C. 27 

sis of Amsterdam, on the 16th day of February, 
1660. 

A classical recommendation from the classis and 
church of Amsterdam, recommending the Minister 
as a Gentleman of exemplary piety and learning, 
is dated as above. 

The following is a translation of the benediction 
of classis. 

The " Almighty God who has called you to this 
holy service, enrich you more and more, with all 
necessary gifts of the Holy Ghost, and bless your 
gospel labours greatly, to the honor of his name, 
in the salvation of many people, and reward you, 
when the upper Shepherd of the sheep shall appear, 
with an unchangeable crown of everlasting honor." 
Done in classis, &c. 

The approbation of the Directors of the West 
India Company is dated March 27, 1660. 

Sept. 7th, 1660, Henricus Solyns met with his 
church in Brooklyn, Sept. 12th, he received a list 
of his members, from the Rev. J. Polhemus, con- 
taining 37 names. 

The Lord's Supper was administered in October, 
and on Christmas day, 1660. 

July 6th, 1661, there are 52 communicants, 
many of whom were admited on certificates from 
New York, and from Holland. 

The Church record has been handsomely kept 
by Vechte, the clerk, until July 23, 1664, when 
Henricus Solyns took leave of his Church, and 
sailed in the Ship Beaver, for Holland. He left 



28 



America, and returned to his native land, at the 
request of his aged father, who earnestly entreated 
him to return. 

The Rev. Henry Solyns had the charge of two 
Churches, one of which was at the Bowery. 

It appears from the records, that the Rev. Jo- 
hannes Polhemus, on account of his age and infir- 
mity, was unable to attend at the Church of Brook- 
lyn, therefore this Church called the Rev. Henry 
Solyns, probably by the advice of the former, for 
they appear to have been cordial friends. 

After the departure of the Rev. Henry Solyns, 
Johannes Megapolensis, Samuel Drisius, and Sam- 
uel Megapolensis, Ministers of (New Amsterdam,) 
New York, administered the ordinances and 
preached in Brooklyn, probably until the 13th of 
May, 1670, when it appears that the health of the 
Rev. J. Polhemus had been restored, and that he 
was again able to preach in Brooklyn, Flatbush, 
and Flatlands. 

Johannes Polhemus died, June 9th, 1676 ; an 
honorable memorial of his services is recorded. 

August 7, 1676, the Rev. Dr. Niewenhuysen, of 
New York, had accepted a call of the Church of 
Brooklyn, of 200 Guilders ; he administered the 
Lord's Supper on the day aforesaid ; whether he 
officiated in the other churches of the county, does 
not appear on the Record. 

Extracts from the Dutch Records, in the office 
of the Secretary of State, at Albany. 

The Rev. Everadus Bogardus, was Minister of 



CHURCHES, &C. 29 

the Dutch Church in New York, from the year 
1638 to the year 1647,-August 16th, 1638, he 
was charged with perjury, and acquitted. — He 
appears to have experienced many troubles. 

In the year 1654, the inhabitants of Brooklyn, 
Flatbush, and Flatlands, prepare timber, by order 
of Governor Stuy vezant, to build a church in the 
town of Flatbush, for the Rev. Johannes Polhemus, 
who, on the application of the citizens of those 
towns, was appointed to that charge. 

Dec. 17th 1654. The Governor appointed the 
Rev. Megapolensis John Snediger and John Stry- 
ker, Commissioners, to build a church in Flatbush, 
the church to be in the form of a cross, 60 feet 
long, 28 feet wide, and 14 feet below the beams, a 
part of the building to be for the Ministers dwel- 
ling. This church was finished in 1655, and was 
the first Dutch church whieh was built on Long- 
Island. 

Aug. 6th, 1655, the Governor ordered the 
Sheriff to convene the inhabitants of Brooklyn, 
Flatbush, and Flatlands, for the purpose of enquir- 
ing whether they were satisfied with their Minister, 
and if they were satisfied, what salary they would 
pay him. 

The Sheriff reported that they approved of their 
Minister, and would pay him a sum equal to $416,- 
66 per year, this was approved as a good call, and 
accepted. 

Feb. 8th, 1656, the above towns applied to the 



30 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

Governor for an order ro raise money by a tax to 
pay their Minister.— Granted. 

March 15, 1656, the Governor ordered that the 
Minister should preach on the forenoon of every 
Sabbath, in Flatbush, and in the afternoons alter- 
nately in Flatlands, and in Brooklyn. The inha- 
bitants of Bushwick and New-Utrecht, attended 
divine service in Brooklyn. Those who repeat- 
edly neglected the Churches in those days were 
reprimanded and punished. 

Feb. 16th, 1657, the inhabitants of Brooklyn 
sent a remonstrance to the Governor against being 
taxed without their consent, laid on the table and 
reprimanded. 

July 6th, 1656, the Governor issued an order, 
forbidding the inhabitants of Brooklyn, Flatbush, 
and Flatlands, to remove their grain from their 
fields, until the : r tythes were taken or commuted, 
for Brooklyn was refractory, and the inhabitants 
received a peremptory order to pay their commuta- 
tions within three days. It does not appear to what 
use the tythes were applied. 

Dec. 20. 1659, the Rev. J. Polhemus represented 
to the Governor that his church wanted painting, 
to preserve it, and requested assistance from the 
Governor. 

Reply— this request shall be transmitted to the 
directors by the first opportunity. 

Sept. 18. 1660, the Minister petitioned for win- 
dows for his church. Ordered that one window be 
furnished him. 



CHURCHES <fec 31 

Sept. 12, 1662, the citizens of the town of Flat- 
lands, apply for permission to build a church. — ■ 
Granted, this church was built in 1663, 

Feb. 16, 1660, The Rev. Henry Solyns, was 
called as the Minister of the Church at Brooklyn, 
where he preached on the Sabbath morning and at 
the Governor's Bowery, — Farm, in the afternoon. 
This matter is corroborated and placed beyond the 
reach of doubt by the Records of the Church of 
Brooklyn. The Dutch Records also state the same 
reasons, viz. the utter inability of the Rev. Mr. 
Polhemus to officiate in Brooklyn at this time. 

Sept. 21, 1662, " ordered that the inhabitants of 
Brooklyn, pay the Rev. Henry Solyns, 300 Guil- 
ders, who has preached in said town, since August 
30, 1660, instead of the Rev. J. Polhemus, and that 
the book-keeper make the deduction in favor of 
Brooklyn." Signed, Stuyvezant. 

April 10, 1660, Henry Laes, a Minister at Fort 
Altona, on the Delaware, was disgraced and fined 
for mal-conduct. In 1664, the colony was taken 
by the British, and in Sept. 17, 1673, Governor 
Clove retook the colony. 

March 1, 1674, Jacob Fabricius, (a Lutheran 
Minister) was disgraced and fined for two misde- 
meanors, from 1663 to 1674.— Churches, Minis- 
ters, &c. A Church of the Augsburg confession 
was established in New York, and a Lutheran 
Church also, 1663. Taxes were raised in Bergen, 
and New Jersey, for churches and schools. 



32 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

May 1674, the Rev. J. Megapolensis dies, and 
is succeeded by Samuel Megapolensis. 

The Scotch were a favored people with the 
Dutch. 

We add, also, in this place an interesting ac- 
count of the early history and customs of the Re- 
formed Dutch Church at Kingston. 

The village of Kingston had a settled Minister 
as early as the year 1662 ; being more than forty 
eight years after the first landing here of the emi- 
grants from Holland. The hamlet at that town was 
called Wildewyck, or Indian district, afterwards 
Esopus. The first clergyman was the Rev. Har- 
manus Blom, whose accounts for salary, all paya- 
ble in wheat, are preserved to this day in the county 
records. He preached in a log hut on the site of 
the present building. Yet even in that rude edifice 
reared by the piety of our ancestors, God conde- 
scended to meet and bless them. The second 
church building was in the ancient style, orna- 
mented with highly colored, painted, and burnt 
window glass, bearing the coat of arms of our pro- 
genitors from Vadersland. The third was a larger 
building, erected in 1752, as appears by the names 
of the workmen, and the year of their labors, cut 
in hewn stone and masoned in the front wall of the 
present building. The fourth find last structure is 
of blue limestone, with a lofty tower of the same 
materials, in which hangs a Holland bell, imported 
from Amsterdam in 1774 ; measuring seven feet 
six inches in circumference at its mouth ; is two 



CHURCHES, dec. 33 

feet two inches in height, and is remarkable for its 
clear and deep toned peals. This was the first 
bell that ever tolled here for a funeral ; the pre- 
vious usage having been to ring the bell on such 
occasions. It was also the practice before this 
time to ring the bell three times a day by way of 
notice, to tidy house keepers, of their breakfast, 
dinner, and supper hours. At present the town 
clock regulates the kitchen. The bell was former- 
ly rung whenever their was a baptism, or a christ. 
ening, as it was called ; and then the minister with 
an elder, and whoever else pleased, went into 
church and performed the rites of baptism. On, 
the top of the steeple is an iron cross, surmounted 
in former days by a large cock ; which, they say, 
was the memento of Peter's denial of his Master. 
And on the top of the pulpit was Noah's dove hold- 
ing the olive branch in her mouth ; but these em. 
blems of those feathered worthies have also mingled 
in the rubbish of oblivion. There was, also, until 
demolished within a few years, a consistory house 
built in front of the church door, according to the 
fashion of the Dutch Churches generally. This 
appendage was not erected until 1721, as appears 
from a stone tablet saved from the ruins and im- 
bedded in the front wall of the present building, in- 
scribed P. Vas. MDCCXXI. The first bell used 
by the Church was a present from Captain Antho- 
ny Rutgers, of the city of New York ; and is the 
same bell now mounted in the cupola of the new 
court house. The present church bell was also 



34 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

procured from Holland, through the agency of 
Captain Rutgers ; a name dear to Kingston, and 
to the Dutch Church. It was also the custom 
among our forefathers, immediately before the ring- 
ing of the last bell for Church service, to be notified 
by a rap at each door, from the ivory-headed cane 
of the sexton, who sung out aloud, " church time ;" 
and for this circuit was paid by each family two 
shillings per annum. The sexton also carried to 
the clerk all written requests for the prayers of the 
congregation. The clerk had a long rod slit at 
the end, into which he inserted the note and handed 
it up to the minister ; who, in those days, occupied 
a very high pulpit in shape of a half globe, raised 
on the top of a demi-column ; and canopied with a 
sounding board. The knob for the Minister's hat, 
exhibited a likeness of the president of the Ameri- 
can Congress in 1777, with his name underneath, 
" Laurens ;" thus uniting patriotism with devotion. 
The Minister wore a black silk mantle, a cocked 
hat, and a neckband with linen cambric "heffy" on 
his breast ; for cravats were then uncanonical, — 
The first psalm used to be set with moveable figures 
suspended on three sides of the pulpit, so that every 
pne as they entered might prepare for the lofty 
notes ; which, in those days, were printed with each 
psalm ; and it was deemed an accomplishment to 
dwell long and loud on a mi, fa, sol, and to give 
them an ague like shake. In those days of pri- 
meval simplicity, the deacons, when service was 
ended, rose in their places, the pastor distilled on 



CHURCHES, &C. 35 

them the dew of charity, in a short address ; they 
bowed, took each of them a bag fixed to a long 
black pole, with a small alarm bell fastened to the 
end, went their rounds, steering clear of the cano- 
py, the pillars, and the bonnets, and rousing the 
sleepy heads with experienced dexterity, returned 
heavy laden with farthings ; or, with a copper 
coin Called tokens, being stamped with " Kingston 
Church," and redeemed at stated times. Nor is it 
less worthy of notice in our precise ancestors, that 
they never approached a communion table unless 
apparelled in black ; a sort of silent language, 
saying, " Do this in remembrance of me." It was 
then also usual to stand round the sacramental 
board, which was placed at the foot of the pulpit. 
Instead of exhortations from the Minister after he 
had broken the bread and handed the cup, the 
clerk read aloud a suitable chapter from the Pro- 
phet Isaiah, or John the Evangelist. The clerk 
also read a portion of Scripture, before the Minister 
came into church, in order to withdraw the minds 
of the congregation from worldly matters. There 
was a canopied seat expressly set apart for the 
county clerk, the sheriff, and the town magistrates ; 
and also a separate bench for the trustees of the 
corporation. The rest of the seats were held, not 
in pews, but as single seats promiscuously ; and, at 
the death of the occupant, were again " booked" 
for life, to the next of kin ; or on their neglect, to 
the first applicant. 
Until the year 1808, Kingston Church stood 



36 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

alone as an independent Church ; and having been 
so for a century and a half, it threw an air of supe- 
riority around her, which was not easily subdued 
by the regular judicatories of the Dutch Church in 
America. A great consistory had once been called, 
and had rejected the jurisdiction of the General 
Synod. Our clergy were ordained in Europe, and 
we had received an ample charter, granted to us by 
the British Crown, November 17, 1719, which 
gave us full powers to conduct our internal affairs. 
But it was at last thought that as the English lan- 
guage had nearly supplanted the Dutch ; and, as it 
would, therefore, be useless to send to Holland for 
our ministers, we might rather unite with the eccle- 
siastical association at our doors. Another great 
consistory was accordingly called, September 5, 
1808 ; and out of twenty-eight members, only four 
voted against joining the Synod. Then we gave 
the hand of fellowship to our sister Churches. — 
And, although our sturdy notions of independence 
at first caused many billows to roll over us, yet we 
are now at peace ; and we leave the records of our 
public charities to speak their own eulogy. Eleven 
clergymen have been settled in this Church from 
its first planting in the new world to this time. 



Blom, 1662. 


Beys, 


1707. 


Van Gaasbeck. 1667. 


Vas, 


1710. 


Weekstein, 1681. 


Mancius, 


1732. 


Nucella, 1696. 


Meyer, 


1763. 


Van Bosen, 


Doll, 


1775. 


Gosman, 


1808. 





CHURCHES, &C. 37 



EPISCOPAL CHURCHES. 

Trinity Church, in the Broadway, was built in 
1696 by the Episcopal Congregation, and burnt 
down in 1776, rebuilt again 1788-9. They also 
built St. George's Chapel in Beekman street, in 
1752, and St. Paul's Chapel in the Broadway, 
1766. They are all three elegant buildings. The 
Churches of England were incorporated May 6, 
1697, by the title of Rector and the Inhabitants of 
the City of New York, in communion with " The 
Church of England by law established." 

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES. 

The Dissenters or Presbyterians built a Meeting- 
house or Church in Wall street in 1719, and en- 
larged the same in 1748, and it was gutted by the 
British in 1777, it was repaired again in 1785. 
They built a new Brick Church in the field in Chat- 
ham street, at the head of Beekman street. This 
also was gutted during the war, and repaired in 
1784-5. The Presbyterian Churches were incor- 
porated by an Act of Assembly passed April 6, 
1784. 

SECEDERS AND BAPTISTS 

Built a church in 1768, and the Anabaptists 
built a good church in Gold street. The Baptist 
Church was founded June 19, 1762, and consisted 
of 28 members. The Trustees were appointed 
according to a law passed April 6, 1784. 

LUTHERANS. 

The Lutherans had a small stone church in the 
Broadway, on the south side of Trinity Church, 
4 



38 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

which was destroyed during the war. They had 
another good stone church in Horse and Cart (now 
William) corner of Frankfort street. This church 
was not damaged during the war. It has a small 
organ in it. 

METHODISTS. 

There are two places of worship in the city for 
Methodists, one in John street, and the other in the 
out ward. The last, is a stone building built in 
1789, but not quite finished inside. 

OTHER DENOMINATIONS. 

There is a small place of worship in Great- 
George street, built in 1789-90 by a small inde- 
pendent congregation. The German Calvinist 
congregation have a church in Nassau street, (now 
Dummers Glass Ware House.) The Jews have a 
small square stone Synagogue in Jews Alley, (now 
Mill street.) The congregation is but small. — • 
There is a brick Roman Catholic Chapel in Bar- 
clay, corner of Church street. 

THE JAIL AND COURT HOUSE. 

The first building made use of for this purpose, 
was the house of A. ErinkerhorT, corner of Dock 
and Coenties streets, the dungeons are still to be 
seen in the cellar. 

The State afterwards built a public Court House 
and Jail at the upper end of Broad in Wall street. 
It was built in the form of an J, open in the mid- 
dle, with places of confinement for criminals in the 
cellar. The first story had two large stair cases 
to go up to the middle story, and two large and 



CHURCHES, &C. 39 

two small rooms ; the middle of the second story 
was the court room, and at one end of the building 
was the Assembly room, at the other end one for 
the Magistrates. The garret had rooms for the 
confinement of debtors, with whom it was custo- 
mary to hang from the domer windows an old shoe 
or bag suspended on a pole, to receive the alms of 
passers by. 

A new Jail was afterwards built, and the priso- 
ners removed from the Hall, which was now kept 
entirely for Courts and the Assembly. In 1788 
it underwent an alteration and improvement for 
the use of Congress, who occupied it in 1789. The 
improvements cost about £20,000. 

OTHER BUILDINGS. 

The Corporation had a House of Correction and 
a Poor House built in the fields, now called the 
Park. These being too small, a large house was 
built in the same row in the field and called the 
Bridewell, which is a strong stone building with a 
good front. 

A subscription was set on foot and a large sum 
of money raised for building a Hospital for the 
sick, for which the Assembly granted £800 a year 
out of the excise. This building was begun and 
nearly finished, when by the carelessness of the 
Carpenters some shavings left in one of the rooms 
took fire, by which the wooden part of the build- 
ing was consumed. Since the peace by donations 
and a grant from the Assembly it has been repair- 



40 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

ed, and has about 12 or 15 patients in it who are 
attended by Physical gentlemen of the city. 

Two Dispensaries have lately been erected in 
the city by subscription, and an Apothecary is 
fixed with a salary in these houses to give out the 
medicine prescribed by the different Doctors to the 
poor, recommended to their charity by the subscri- 
bers under proper restrictions ; a most worthy and 
humane institution. 

By a subscription a Manufactory of Linen and 
Cotton yarn and cloth has been and is still carried 
on in this city, and proves the means of employing 
a great many poor in spinning, &c. There is no 
doubt but manufactories of a number of articles 
now imported from foreign countries might be car- 
ried on here, especially in the Iron branch. We 
have three Air Furnaces on the Island, a Manu- 
factory of Tiles, several of Earthen and Stone 
Ware, and one of Wool Cards. 

At the revocation of the Edict of Nantz, many 
French Protestants came over and settled in this 
city, New Rochelle and New Paltz. They built 
a church in this city in Kings street in 1704, which 
at present is made use of as a store-house, all the 
congregation having died or joined other Churches. 

In Broad street, there is a brick bidding with 
arches to support a long room designed as an 
Exchange, but now used as a place of meeting by 
the Tammany Society. 

An incorporated Society entitled " The New 
York Society Library," before the Revolution had 



CHURCHES &C. 41 

a Library of 1200 vols., the books were carried 
off and stolen during the war ; but about two years 
ago the Society was called together and a Library 
formed, which, by the new subscribers, has been 
already enabled to purchase above 2000 vols., and 
are daily adding more. They have a charter 
dated 1772, since confirmed with additional privi- 
leges by the Legislature. 

There is now building and near finished, a large 
house where Fort George formerly stood, called 
the Government House, and designed for the resi- 
dence of the Governors of this State. It is an 
elegant two story brick building of an oblong 
square form, the ground floor of which contains a 
number of very convenient rooms for servants and 
kitchens. In front is an elegant pediment support- 
ing four large pillars on bases of an equal height 
to the floor, where is a balcony, to which you as- 
cend by two flights of steps ; the door leads you 
into a large elegant hall the whole height of the 
building. On a level with the second story is a 
gallery round it, by which a communication is kept 
up with all the upper rooms, which are large and 
convenient, a large stairs leads also to them at the 
side of the hall. This building has three sides of 
an octagon in the rear, opening upon an extensive 
and delightful prospect to the East and North 
Rivers and the Narrows. 

In 1724 Kings College was founded, and in 1787 
by an act of Legislature it was was called Colum- 
bia College^ and put under the care of twenty-four 



42 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 

gentlemen, who are a body corporate by the 
name and style of The Trustees of Columbia Col- 
lege in the city of New York. 



CHAPTER IV. 

MISCELLANEOUS MEMORANDA. 

The first law which mentions any thing relating 
to the establishment of an Alms House and the 
Maintenance of the Poor, was passed Sept. 26, 
1693. It is entitled an Act for Settling a Ministry 
and raising a maintenance for them in the city of 
New York, counties of Richmond, Westchester, 
and Queens ; one good Minister for each. It is 
enacted among other things, that there shall be ten 
Vestrymen and two Churchwardens chosen every 
year by the freeholders, on the 2d Tuesday of 
January, who shall lay a reasonable tax on said 
respective cities, counties, parishes or precincts, for 
the maintenance of the ministers and poor of their 
respective places. 

STAMP ACT. 

In 1765, when the Stamp Papers were expected 
from England, Governor Colden resided in the 
Fort and intending to receive and protect them 
there, he placed Major James, a British Officer, to 
fortify the same. The Stamp paper was landed 
under the protection of a Man of War, commanded 
by Capt. Kennedy. Previous to this Gov. Colden 



MEMORANDA. 43 

had ordered all the cannon on the Battery to be 
spiked ; this, and the preparations in the fort, 
alarmed but did not intimidate the people, who, 
after parading through the street with a wooden 32 
pounder, on which was placed a figure represent- 
ing the Governor, carried it to the fort and demand- 
ed the Stamps ; these being refused, they took the 
Governor's coach, sled, &c. out of his stable and 
burnt them before the fort, and a party went to the 
house of Major James, the contents of which were 
brought out and destroyed by fire ; this, however, 
did not yet satisfy the people, and had it not been 
for some moderate persons, the fort would have 
been stormed, and consequently much blood spilt. 
The people were only pacified by the Governor 
delivering the Stamp papers to the Corporation of 
the City. The inhabitants, therefore, were not 
sorry when the house in the fort burnt clown, for 
they got the Provincial Congress to issue orders 
that the fort should be dismantled, and accordingly 
the north curtain was entirely taken away. The 
British did not think proper to rebuild it again dur- 
ing the war ; stockades only were put up instead 
of a stone wall, with a few troops left in the fort. 

THE FORT. 

After the war, and when the Americans got pos- 
session of the city, it was not thought proper to 
repair the fort again, as it was wished that the in- 
habitants might never again be intimidated by it, 
as they had been twice before ; once in the time of 
Jacob Lieslier, when the town was actually fired 



44 MISCEELANEOTJS 

upon ; one of the balls struck the house of Jacobus 
Van Cortlandt, at that time one of the Council, and 
is masoned in the wall fronting the fort in Dock-st. ; 
and afterwards by Gov. Colden in 1765. A reso- 
lution was passed by the Assembly to remove the 
ruins of the fort, and make use of the stones, &c, 
in building a government house, and accordingly 
in 1791 no trace of it remained. 

When Nichols took the fort from the Dutch, it 
was by him called Fort James, instead of Fort New 
Amsterdam. 

When Henry Slaughter was governor in 1691, 
it was called Fort William Henry. 

When Lord Cornbury was governor in 1702, it 
was called Fort Ann. 

Upon the accession of King George to the 
throne its name was changed to Fort George, which 
it retained until destroyed ; and as it is now gone, 
unless some account be kept of it, after some years 
it may not be known where it stood, or any de- 
scription of it to be obtained ; and this has induced 
me to give its history. 

POPULATION, &C. 

It appears when Thomas Dale and Robert Argol 
took the first fort, there were but four houses 
without the same inhabited by the Dutch, and when 
New York was taken by Nichols in 1665, in a 
letter to the Duke of York, he writes, " That such 
is the mean condition of this town, (New York,) 
that not one soldier to this day has lain in sheets or 
upon any other bed than straw." In 1686 there 



MEMORANDA. 45 

"were only 354 men and women and 702 children 
belonging to the Dutch Church. 

Those who remained in the country built their 
houses under the guns of the fort at first for pro- 
tection ; therefore Pearl street was the first street. 
I find by an account in my possession ; that in 
1686 there were 16 streets in the city, namely, 
Broadway, Pearl, High, Low, Brewer or Stone, 
Prince, King, Exchange, New, Bever, Mackvelt, 
Bridge, Broad, Smith, Dock, and Smiths Valley or 
Yley, now Queen street. Many British subjects 
must have come over and settled here, as appears 
from the names of some of the streets. I find by 
a census taken of the inhabitants of New York in 
1697. There were Whites, 3727 

Colored, 575 



f Total, 4202 

Allowing eight to a house, there must have been 
about 500 houses at this time. By an account 
taken in 1678 there were 343 houses containing 
3430 inhabitants, or ten to a house. To see the 
amazing increase of the city, I have collected the 
following account of inhabitants and houses at dif- 
ferent periods : 

Years, Houses, Inhabitants. 

1615, 4, 30. 

1678, 343, 3430. 

1686, 450, 3800. 

1697, 500, 4302. 

1751, 2050, r- 



46 MISCELLANEOUS 

1755, 2200, 

1656, , 10,743. 

1771, , 21,863. 

1786, , 23,614. 

1790, 5000, 33,132. 

TUNNAGE, IMPORTS, EXPORTS, &C. 

Vessels entered in the New York Custom House. 
Years, Sq. Rigged, Sloops, Boats, Total. 
1678, 3, 8, 7, 18. 

1686, 10, 3, 20, 33. 

1696, 40, 62, 62, 164. 

1744, with coasters, 1075. 

1788, 367, 685, 1052, 

1789, 350, 755, 1108. / 
Coasters not included except in 1744. ^-^ 
From Dec. 9, 1755, to Feb. 23, 1756, the quan- 
tity of Flax seed exported was 12,528 hhds. — 

From Sept. 29, 1749, to Sept. 29, 1750, there 
were entered from Great Britain and Ireland 21 
vessels ; cleared for Holland 5 vessels ; cleared 
out 6731 Tuns of Provisions, chiefly flour and 
grain. Imported 800 Pipes of Madeira Wine, and 
exported 226 Pipes ; cleared 2008 barrels of Tar, 
156 of Pitch ; twenty of which were imported from 
the Carolinas. 

In 1678 — Entered not above 15 vessels of an 
average of 100 tons each, of which 5 small ships 
and a ketch did not belong to New York, and four 
of them were built here. 

TAXES, FORTIFICATIONS, &C. 

In 1703 the Assembly voted £1500 towardg 



MEMORANDA. 47 

greeting two batteries, -one on each side of the 
Narrows. They were never built. Gov. Corn- 
bury receiving the money and never accounting 
for the same. 

For raising the above sum, the Assembly came 
to the. following curious resolutions, to wit. 

That every person having the honor to be of 
her Majesties Council pay a year, £2. 0. 0. 

Every Representative, 1. 0. 0. 

Every one wearing a periwig, 5. 6. 

Every batchelor above 25, 2. 6. 

Every freeman from 16 to 60, 9. 

Every freeman for each slave, from 16 

to 60 years, 1. 0. 

I find that the tax on wigs must have been col- 
lected, as it brought in a year by the Treasurer's 
account, £9. 17s. 5d. and from 1732 to 34, £26. 
3s. 2d. At this time wigs were much in fashion, 
especially among the Dutch. 

In 1734 Commissioners were appointed to build 
a Halfmoon Battery near Whitehall, and after it 
was finished in trying the guns one of them burst 
and killed two persons. This battery could mount 
70 guns. 

In 1741 the Province received a donation from 
the Crown of 106 cannon, from 3 to 32 pounders, 
with all the impliments necessary thereto, and 100 
muskets complete, besides powder and other arti* 
cles amounting to £6773. 15. 8. 

A Battery or Bastion was also voted this year to 
be built on the flat rock back of the fort. 



48 MISCELLANEOUS 

In 1744 a Battery of 8 guns was built at Red 
Hook. 

In 1745 they voted to build four Batteries, and 
stockaded the city from river to river, along the 
meadows, to freshwater, and so to Dominick's 
Hook. One battery and blockhouse on Dominick's 
Hook — 8 guns. 
1 Do. Desbrosses. 

1 Do. on Capt. Rutgers' Wharf, 8 guns. 
1 Do. on Benj. Pecks Wharf, 6 guns. 
At a small distance from each other blockhouses 
were built along pallisades, which were filled up on 
the inside to about three feet, and loop holes made 
for muskets. 

'After the Halfmoon battery was taken away and 
a battery built from Whitehall opposite to the 
north corner of the fort, according to a plan by 
Mr. John Dice, who was overseer of the works. 
The battery could mount 92 guns. 

Just before the last war with Britain, or in 
1775-6, the. batteries were repaired, and a fort 
called Independence, built on a hill near the house 
of Mr. Nicholas Bayard. It had a most com- 
manding prospect, was built of sods and earth, and 
had a ditch round it, with a magazine under ground 
and houses slightly built for the defenders of the 
fort ; yet upon the whole, it was more for show 
than real service, having no water, nor any de- 
fence against bombs. 

In 1776 the pavement opposite the slips was 
taken up, and bulwarks of plank and dirt raised 



MEMORANDA. 49 

across them. These were also more for show than 
use, as there were yet many places unfortified 
where the British could land. Such was the state 
of our fortifications in 1776, until an order was 
issued by Gen. Washington, with the concurrence 
•of the Provincial Congress, to remove the cannon 
out of the city, and to dismantle the fortifications. 
Some of the cannon went by water to Albany, some 
to Kingston, and others were left behind. 

The Militia of the whole State in 1678, (inclu- 
ding 140 horse,) were about 2000 ; 1692 not 
above 3000 ; 1688 above 2500, horse 300, dra- 
goons 50 — 2350 ; 1756 militia of the city about 
2300 men. 



f 



CHAPTER V. 



MARKETS. 



The first Market built, I am informed, stood in 
the vacant space opposite to where the Govern- 
ment House stood. Not long after a bridge was 
built at the south end of Broad-street, near the 
river, and a market was placed near the middle of 
the same, with two basins to admit and shelter the 
boats and canoes coming to market ; they extend- 
ed from Whitehall to Coenties Market, on the out- 
side wharf was a crane for unloading goods, this 
being at the time the largest and deepest wharf. 
5 



50 MARKETS* 

As buildings advanced eastward, they built anothe! 
market in Great Dock street, opposite the house of 
Mr. Abm. BrinckcrhofF, at the corner of Great 
Dock and Coenties lane, where the first jail stood ; 
this market was called the Lower Market, and af- 
terwards Coenties Market, from Conrad Ten Eyck, 
who lived at the side of the same. 

The next market was built in the open space 
opposite to South street, in the Old Slip ; this was 
called the Great Flesh Market, and aftewards Old 
Slip Market, the water out of the Slip coming up 
to the north end of the market. This was removed 
when the Slip was filled up. 

The next market was built at the lower end of 
Wall street, just below Queen street, and was at 
first called the Exchange, and afterwards the Meal 
Market, meal being ordered to be exposed for sale 
there only ; a bridge was built at the south end of 
the same. 

The next market was built in the Slip where 
the Fly Market now stands ; it was built nearly 
on a line with Queen street, the other being there, 
and the water running up a small creek nearly 
to Alstyne's shop in Maiden Lane. 

Before I describe other markets I must observe 
that in 1686 there were only two markets in the 
city, as appears by Gov. Donga n's Charter ; they 
were the Long Bridge and Coenties Markets. 

In 1730, when a new Charter was given to the 
city, there were five market places. After this 
time several were built, one in Whitehall at the 



MARKETS. 51 

west end of Pearl street ; one in Broad street near 
Garden street ; two near the North River, the first 
to draw the country people from Oswego Market 
in the Broadway, opposite to Crown street ; but 
none of them answered the design. In one of the 
two last, the first thing offered for sale was a bear, 
from which it obtained the name of Bear Market, 
When the market was removed out of the Broad- 
way to where it now stands in Maiden Lane, it 
was often so filled with sellers that the passage of 
carriages on the sides was dangerous and inconve- 
nient. 

After this a market was built in Peck's Slip ; 
and since the war, one in the New or James' Slip ; 
one in Government street, near the North River ; 
and one at the Exchange. 

The city has a market day every day in the 
week, and with as great plenty as any city on the 
continent can boast. In the first place, all the 
year round, the very best Beef can be purchased 
in the greatest plenty. The average price for the 
best is from 4 to 4 1-2 per lb. by the quarter, mid- 
dling or good country beef may be bought at from 
2 1-2 to 3d per lb. 

Pork is exceedingly plenty in the fall of the 
year, selling from 4d to 4 1-2 per lb. 

Mutton can be had all the year round, but is so 
plenty that the fattest doth not stand in above 3d 
to 4d per lb. 

Veal is also plenty in the spring of the year, and 
exceeding reasonable. 



o2 



MARKKTs. 



Venison is brought in considerable quantities 
from Long Island and from other parts. 

Wild-Foid of every kind, when in season, is 
brought in quantities daily to market, the shore of 
Long Island being covered with them at some sea- 
sons of the year. The best wild geese sell from 
2s. 6d. to 3s. ; a fat Brant Is. 6d.*; other ducks, 
&c. from 6d. to Is. 

Snipes and other birds in plenty, Ground Heath 
hens, quails, wild pigeons, and patridges are 
brought in abundance, the latter selling often for 
Is. and quails for 2 l-2d„, 

Tame-Foicl are brought in great quantities and 
of every kind daily. 

Butter and Cheese is good, plenty, and cheap. 

Shad, Bass, and Herrings are brought in almost 
incredible quantities in the spring of the 3 ear. 
Shad are sold from 20 to 30s. per hundred ; Her- 
rings Is. 6d. to 3s. Vast quantities of these are 
bought at the fishing places by the country people 
and salted up for summer use. 

Sheeps Heads are brought by the wagon load 
from the south side of Long Island to the marked 
and sold for 6d. to 2s. a piece. 

Codfish ; as much may be bought for Is as will 
suffice twelve persons. 

Lobsters at 2s and Crabs at Is a dozen. 

Oysters sell in the proper season from 2s to 3 as 
hundred ; some at the latter price are so large and 
fat that 6 or 7 will suffice for a moderate person. 



&AKKETSJ 53 

Oranges, Lemons, Limes, Pine Apples, Raisins, 
Currants, &c, are supplied in abundance. 

Potatoes are very abundant, and sell from Is 6d 
to 2s 6d per bushel. 

Meal may be bought every day in the year in 
Oswego Merket by the single half hundred or more, 
the average prices being as follows : 

Indian meal per cwt. 8s. 

Buckwheat, 10s. 

Rye, 10s. 

Wheat flour, 18s. 

In short it is impossible to describe the plenty 
that has reigned through the year. The rich 
never have wanted luxuries, and the poor have been 
able to subsist upon the earnings of a few hours 
labour; 3d in fish, bread, and drink, affording a 
comfortable meal. 6d. would procure meal, bread, 
and drink. Such have been the opportunities of 
earning money by different kinds of labour, that 
none willing to work were in want, hence there 
were few beggars, except the lazy drunken 
wretches not fit subjects even for the Alms House. 

Thus, with a termination as abrupt as its com' 
mencement, closes the manuscript before referred 
to ; by the last paragraph it will be seen that even 
in the moderate days of '92, a Temperance Society 
would not have been without subjects for its benefi- 
cial operations. Before closing these pages, I 
would, however, refer to one or two dates which 
occur. In page 29 it is stated that " the Rev. Mr. 
Boffardus was Minister of the Dutch Church in 



54 MARKETS. 

New York, from the year 1638 to the year 1647. " 
Here must be some error, as it is a fact, not only of 
tradition, but of historical record, that Mr. Bogar- 
dus' daughter was the first child born in New 
Amsterdam. The settlement of the city was made 
in 1614. Here then is a space of twenty four 
years in which no increase by births could have 
taken place, and yet the city at the end of this time 
contained from seven hundred to a thousand inhabi- 
tants. Mr. Bogardus was likewise the first Minis- 
ter to the Dutch Church in New York, and it is not 
very probable that the settlers remained twenty- 
four years without the stated ministrations of the 
Sanctuary. Again, the first church is recorded to 
have been built in 1642, yet previous to this, by 
the account on page 21, it will be seen that the in- 
habitants had " a mean barn (in appearance) for 
their worship." 

As some doubt may yet exist in the mind of the 
reader, with regard to the location of Fort George, 
it may be stated that it occupied a square bounded 
on the north by the row of buildings now called the 
Bowling Green ; on the east by Whitehall street ; 
on the west by the river ; on the south by the 
present line of Bridge street. 

An error occurs in page 22, nine lines from the 
bottom ; for 1643 read 1693. 



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